A Coronation gift from the Royal Warrant Holders Association Members to
His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla
to celebrate their Coronation in 2023.
Due to the dwindling supply of 1908 King Edward VII Prayer Books in the Chapel Royal St James, The Reverend Canon Paul Wright and Nick Farrow then Chair of the Royal Warrant Holders Association Members (RWHA) Charity Fund discussed replacing them with some 2023 His Majesty King Charles III books.
As 2023 is such a special year, this idea extended into producing, as a gift, a special version for each of Their Majesties The King and The Queen as a celebration of their Coronation.
Fundraising began in October 2022 to produce the two red Royal Coronation Versions and ten black Chapel Versions to be housed in an oak bookcase, made from Sandringham Oak. Any excess funds would be donated to Charities across the country via the RWHA Charity Fund.
Today the project is complete and the Prayer Books are a thing of beauty as is the Sandringham Oak bookcase for the Chapel Royal. There are also two individual hand engraved silver bookmarks to complete the two Royal versions.
The money raised from Royal Warrant holding companies was substantially over and above the cost of these prayer books, supplied at cost, so has enabled us donate much needed funds to at least 12 charities.
Barnard & Westwood - Fine printers and bookbinders based in Central London. The go-to company for unique one-off projects and complicated specifications including the invitation and order of service for the Coronation at Westminster Abbey. Barnard & Westwood typeset all the wording and litho-printed the inside pages on Munken Paper's sustainable range. |
The Reverend Canon Paul Wright LVO
Sub Dean HM Chapel Royal inspecting the Black Prayer Books. |
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Jon Simpson Serjeant of the Vestry and Head Verger looking at the black Prayer Books. |